US slaps sanctions against Nord Stream-2 pipe layer Fortuna

WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (PRIME) -- The U.S. government introduced sanctions against Russian pipe-laying vessel Fortuna involved in construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline and its owner KVT-Rus, the Department of the Treasury said in a statement on Tuesday.

The sanctions list includes six more vessels including Russia’s Maxim Gorky and Sierra. It also covers the Krasnodar Region-based Rustanker company, 14 firms from Italy, Switzerland, the U.S., Malta, Venezuela and the U.K, and three individuals.

German daily Bild reported citing documents that local company Bilfinger SE left the Nord Stream-2 project over the threat of the sanctions.

Switzerland’s Zurich Insurance Group told PRIME it also left the project.

The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55 billion cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Russian gas giant Gazprom is implementing the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV, and France’s Engie.

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